Poinsettia plant named ‘Wincrea’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Poinsettia  plant named ‘Wincrea’, characterized by its ball-shaped inflorescences with recurved pale yellow-colored flower bracts; recurved dark green-colored leaves; uniform plant habit; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Euphorbia pulcherrimaWilld. cultivar Wincrea.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wincrea’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding programis to create new Poinsettia cultivars having strong stems, reflexedflower bracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellentpost-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theEuphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckalbeno, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 13,316. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by theInventor within a population of plants of the cultivar Eckalbeno inNovember, 2000, in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. Theselection of this plant was based on its strong stems and reflexed paleyellow-colored flower bracts.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttingspropagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., sinceJanuary, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettiaare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wincrea’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wincrea’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Ball-shaped inflorescences with recurved pale yellow-colored        flower bracts.    -   2. Recurved dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Uniform plant habit.    -   4. Strong erect stems.    -   5. Response time about 8.5 weeks.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia are most similar to the parent, thecultivar Eckalbeno. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily fromplants of the parent in flower bract coloration as plants of thecultivar Eckalbeno have pink and pale yellow bi-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivarEckaimon, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,909. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettiadiffered from plants of the cultivar Eckaimon in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were shorter than plants of the        cultivar Eckaimon.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Eckaimon.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about three or four        days earlier than plants of the cultivar Eckaimon.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia had smaller inflorescences than        plants of the cultivar Eckaimon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Wincrea’.

The photograph at bottom left of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Wincrea’.

The photograph at the bottom right of the sheet is a top perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Wincrea’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during theautumn and winter under commercial practice in a polyethylene-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures about 24° C., night temperatures about19° C., and light levels about 4,000 foot-candles. Single plants weregrown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched once. Plants were flowered undernatural season short day/long night conditions. Plants were about 17weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photographs and the detailedbotanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar    Wincrea.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Euphorbia    pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckalbeno, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.    No. 13,316.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20 to 22° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at 24° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous and freely-branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Inverted triangle; strong and erect stems.        -   Growth habit.—Upright and uniform plant habit. Moderately            vigorous.        -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: About eight lateral            branches develop after pinching. Length: About 18 cm.            Diameter: About 6 mm. Internode length: About 2.3 cm.            Strength: Strong, stiff. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color:            146B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:            About 10.5 cm. Width: About 7.5 cm. Shape: Roughly elliptic.            Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse to truncate. Margin: Entire;            somewhat sinuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Glabrous; slightly rugose. Orientation:            Recurved. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,            upper surface: Darker than 147A. Developing and fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: More gray than 147B.            Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole: Length:            About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound            corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the            cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flower bracts            recurved, inflorescences ball-shaped. Flowers are not            fragrant. Flowers persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter in Northern            Hemisphere. Flower initiation and development is induced            under long nyctoperiod conditions. Response time, about 8.5            weeks; natural season flower maturity date is late November            for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.        -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia            maintain good substance and bract color for about four weeks            under interior conditions.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 10 cm. Height (depth):            About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length,            largest bracts: About 8 cm. Width, largest bracts: About            7.2 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate, curled. Base:            Obtuse. Margin: Entire; slightly sinuate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous; velvety; rugose. Orientation:            Recurved. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or            transitional bracts, upper surface: 10B. Developing or            transitional bracts, lower surface: 10C. Fully developed            bracts, upper and lower surfaces: 5D. Venation, upper and            lower surfaces: Similar to flower bract color. Bract            petiole: Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color:            144A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity: About eight per corymb. Diameter of            cyathia cluster. About 2 cm. Length: About 8 mm. Width:            About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature and mature: 144B.            Peduncle: Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth;            glabrous. Color: 144B. Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            five. Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: 13B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color:            13B. Pistils: None observed. Nectaries: Quantity per            cyathium: One. Size: About 3 mm by 5 mm. Color: 13A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettias has not been observed on plants grown under commercial    conditions.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Wincrea’, asillustrated and described.